standardized test tutor reading grade 3

Test Tutor says: Directions: Read this story about a girl and her mother.. Test Tutor says: Directions: Read this passage about how the body heals cuts.. Test Tutor says: Questions 6–10

Students Build Test-Taking Skills and Boost Their Scores

Scholastic Inc grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducible pages from this mini-book for classroom use No other part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in

a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher For information regarding permission,

write to Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.

Editor: Maria L Chang Cover design: Brian LaRossa Interior design: Creative Pages, Inc.

Interior illustrations: Wilkinson Studios, Inc.

ISBN-13: 978-0-545-09601-0 ISBN-10: 0-545-09601-4 Copyright © 2009 by Michael Priestley All rights reserved Published by Scholastic Inc.

Printed in the U.S.A.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 40 15 14 13 12 11 10 09

Welcome to Test Tutor 4

Test 1 8

Test 2 30

Test 3 49

Answer Sheet 69

Answer Keys Test 1 71

Test 2 79

Test 3 87

Scoring Charts Student Scoring Chart 94

Classroom Scoring Chart 95

Welcome to Test Tutor!

Students in schools today take a lot of tests, especially in reading and math Some students naturally perform well on tests, and some do not But just about everyone can get better at taking tests by learning more about what’s on the test and how to answer the questions How many students do you know who could benefit from working with a tutor? How many would love to have someone sit beside them and help them work their way through the tests they have to take?

That’s where Test Tutor comes in The main purpose of Test Tutor is to help students learn what they need to know in order to do better on tests Along the way, Test

Tutor will help students feel more confident as they come to understand the content

and learn some of the secrets of success for multiple-choice tests.

The Test Tutor series includes books for reading and books for math in a range of grades Each Test Tutor book in reading has three full-length practice tests designed

specifically to resemble the state tests that students take each year The reading skills measured on these practice tests have been selected from an analysis of the skills tested in ten major states, and the questions have been written to match the multiple-choice format used in most states.

The most important feature of this book is the friendly Test Tutor He will

help students work through the tests and achieve the kind of success

they are looking for This program is designed so students may work

through the tests independently by reading the Test Tutor’s helpful hints

Or you may work with the student as a tutor yourself, helping him or her

understand each question and test-taking strategy along the way You can

do this most effectively by following the Test Tutor’s guidelines included in

the pages of this book.

Three Different Tests

There are three practice tests in this book: Test 1, Test 2, and Test 3 Each test has

35 multiple-choice items with four answer choices (A, B, C, D) All three tests measure the same skills, but they provide different levels of tutoring help.

Test 1 provides step-by-step guidance to help students find the answer to each

question, as in the sample on the next page The tips in Test 1 are detailed and thorough Some of the tips are designed to help students read through and under- stand the passage, and others are written specifically for each reading question

to help students figure out the answers.

Sample 1

Directions: Read this story about a girl and her mother

Then answer questions 1–5.

The Pot of Milk

Once upon a time in India, a young girl named Gheta

lived in a small house with her mother The mother worked

hard to make enough money to support herself and her

daughter Every day, she milked their one cow Then she

took the milk to the market and sold it for a few rupees

One day after the mother milked the cow, the cow fell

ill The mother could not leave the sick cow alone, for the

animal was the most valuable thing she owned So she

handed her daughter a clay pot full of milk and said, “Take

this to the market and sell it.”

Take a quick look at the questions before you begin reading so you know what to look for

Think about why Gheta has to go to the market

2 Why does the mother send Gheta to the market?

 The mother does not feel well.

 The mother has to care for the cow.

 The mother is angry with Gheta.

 The mother thinks Gheta can get more money.

Go back to the passage to see why Gheta had to go

to the market

Test 2 provides a test-taking tip for each item, as in the sample below, but the tips

are less detailed than in Test 1 They help guide the student toward the answers

without giving away too much Students must take a little more initiative.

Sample 2

1 Why did Colby and Logan think Mrs Wilson was nice?

 She let them help her with the compost and the garden.

 She brought them lemonade when they were tired and

thirsty.

 She let them ride their bikes in her driveway.

 She played hide-and-seek and other games with them.

Read each answer choice before you pick one

Directions: Read this passage about two boys on a vacation

Then answer questions 1–5.

The Garden

By the second day of spring vacation, Colby and

Logan were at loose ends Their grandmother was in the

house baking pies for a local store and couldn’t take them

anywhere They had ridden their bikes, played

hide-and-seek, and built a fort in the woods Now they were bored

Logan suggested they visit their grandmother’s new

neighbor, Mrs Wilson, because she had a puppy Their

grandmother said, “Now don’t bother her Be respectful

and don’t be pests.”

When the boys got to the house, Mrs Wilson was working

outside in the yard The dog bounded up to them, and the

boys introduced themselves

“Can we play with your dog?” the boys asked

“Sure,” said the woman with a smile

The boys chased the dog around the yard Then the dog

chased the boys around and around Finally, the boys were

tired, but the puppy was not!

“Do you boys want some lemonade?” Mrs Wilson asked

Logan and Colby nodded They thought this new neighbor

was really nice

Take a quick look at the questions before reading the passage

Think about what the characters say and do throughout the story

Test 3 does not provide test-taking tips It assesses the progress students have made After

working through Tests 1 and 2 with the help of the Test Tutor, students should be more

than ready to score well on Test 3 without too much assistance Success on this test will

help students feel confident and prepared for taking real tests.

Other Helpful Features

In addition to the tests, this book provides some other helpful features First, on page 69,

you will find an answer sheet When students take the tests, they may mark their answers

by filling in bubbles on the test pages, or they may mark their answers on a copy of the

answer sheet instead, as they will be required to do in most standardized tests

Second, beginning on page 71, you will find a detailed answer key for each test The answer

key lists the correct response and explains the answer for each question It also identifies the

skill tested by each question, as in the sample below

Answer Key for Sample 1

Correct response: B

( Analyze characters)

The mother sends Gheta to the market because the cow is sick and she has to stay

home to care for the cow.

Incorrect choices:

A The cow is sick, not the mother.

C The mother becomes angry with Gheta after she goes to the market.

D The mother just tells Gheta to sell the milk The story does not suggest that Gheta

will get more money for the milk than the mother would

As the sample indicates, this question measures the student’s ability to analyze characters

This information can help you determine which skills the student has mastered and which

ones still cause difficulty.

Finally, the answer key explains why each incorrect answer choice, or “distractor,” is incorrect

This explanation can help reveal what error the student might have made For example, a

ques-tion about an effect might have a distractor that describes a cause instead Knowing this could

help the student improve his or her understanding of the text.

At the back of this book, you will find two scoring charts The Student Scoring Chart

can help you keep track of each student’s scores on all three tests and on each passage

(literary or informational) The Classroom Scoring Chart can be used to record the scores

for all students on all three tests, illustrating the progress they have made from Test 1 to Test 3

Keep in mind that students get a lot of tutoring help on Test 1, some help on Test 2, and no

help on Test 3 So if a student’s scores on all three tests are fairly similar, that could still be a

very positive sign that the student is better able to read passages and answer comprehension

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read this story about a girl and her mother

Then answer questions 1–5.

The Pot of Milk

Once upon a time in India, a young girl named Gheta

lived in a small house with her mother The mother worked

hard to make enough money to support herself and her

daughter Every day, she milked their one cow Then she

took the milk to the market and sold it for a few rupees

One day after the mother milked the cow, the cow fell

ill The mother could not leave the sick cow alone, for the

animal was the most valuable thing she owned So she

handed her daughter a clay pot full of milk and said, “Take

this to the market and sell it.”

Gheta grumbled, for she was used to lying in the shade

and dreaming while her mother worked But she understood

that if she did not sell the milk, there would be no food for

dinner

On the way to the market, Gheta got hot She sat down

to rest in the shade of a big banyan tree As she rested, she

dreamed about her future

Take a quick look at the questions before you begin reading so you know what to look for

Think about why Gheta has to go to the market

Where is Gheta while she

is dreaming?

Read each passage and the questions that follow Look at the

Test Tutor’s tips for understanding the passages and answering

the questions Then choose the best answer to each question.

Test Tutor

says:

Name

Test 1

“When I sell the milk,” she said to herself, “I will use the

money to buy some eggs

“When the eggs hatch, I will have chickens

“I will sell the chickens and buy a young goat

“When the goat is fully grown, I will sell it for some fruit trees

“I will plant the trees, and then I will gather the fruit to sell

“With the money from the fruit, I will buy lots of land I

will plant rice in the fields When I harvest the rice, I will sell

it and use the money to build a fine house!

“One day I will be cooking a big meal in my new kitchen

The food will smell so good that flies will come in the

window I will be angry, and I will kick the flies—just

like this!”

Gheta gave a big kick and knocked over the pot of milk! The

clay pot did not break, but all the milk spilled out There was

nothing she could do except turn around and go home

When Gheta walked into the house, her mother told her

that the cow was fine Then she asked, “Where are the rupees?”

Gheta told her what had happened, and her mother got

very upset But Gheta said, “It was a good thing I did not take

our cow to the market If I had kicked her instead of the pot

of milk, she would have run away! We lost a little milk, but

we still have the cow, so we can get more.”

The mother said that was so, and her anger slowly faded

After that, Gheta stopped dreaming and started working

She often took milk to the market, but she never again

stopped to rest

Questions 1–5: Choose the best answer to each question.

1 Which words from the story have almost the same meaning?

 angry and alone

 walked and kicked

 ill and sick

 fine and valuable

Think about the lesson Gheta learns

Read every answer choice before you pick one Think about the meaning of both words

Test Tutor

says:

2 Why does the mother send Gheta to the market?

 The mother does not feel well.

 The mother has to care for the cow.

 The mother is angry with Gheta.

 The mother thinks Gheta can get more money.

3 Where is Gheta when she kicks over the pot of milk?

 at home

 under a tree

 at the market

 in a field of rice

4 How does Gheta keep her mother from being too angry?

 She explains that things could be worse.

 She helps the cow get better.

 She tells her she will have a fine house someday.

 She says someone took the milk from her.

5 The lesson in this story would be most helpful to a

person who—

 plans to travel to India.

 does chores at home.

 doesn’t like milk.

 often daydreams.

Go back to the passage to see why Gheta had to go

to the market

Go back to the passage

to see where Gheta stops

to rest

Look at the ending

to see what Gheta said

or did

Think about the lesson in the story and why Gheta had to learn it

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read this passage about how the body heals cuts

Then answer questions 6–10.

Cuts and How They Heal

Your skin is a covering that protects your body When

you get a cut, it makes a hole in that covering Have you ever

wondered how your body repairs cuts? A team of workers

does the job You can’t see the workers because they are

microscopic, but this is what they do

As soon as you get a cut, an alarm goes out and special

cells rush to the scene The first step is to stop the bleeding

This job is done by cells called platelets When platelets

touch the rough edges of a cut, they get sticky, like glue In a

minute or two, they close the cut The bleeding stops

Next, little threads begin to form in the blood just below

the platelet plug The threads form a kind of net and harden

This is a scab Scabs may not be pretty, but they are very

useful! They protect your skin while it heals

Your body’s next task is to kill any germs that have

entered through the hole in your skin This is a task for white

blood cells They swim to the cut and eat up the germs! The

white blood cells keep the cut from getting infected

Once the bleeding has stopped, the scab has formed, and

the white blood cells have killed any germs, your body has

one last important job to do It must replace the skin cells

that were damaged

Have you ever seen a big hole in a wall? Have you

watched someone repair the wall? First, they fill the hole

with plaster or joint compound Then, they use a special tool

to smooth out the filling Last, they paint over the repair so

you can’t tell where the hole was

Your body does something similar with the hole from

a cut Cells called fibroblasts make a tough substance

called collagen to fill the hole Then, skin cells grow over

the collagen and cover it up In most cases, after a week or

two, the surface of the skin will look just as it did before the

accident However, if the cut was deep or ragged, sometimes

a scar will remain The scar is the collagen

What is this passage mainly about?

Notice the sequence of steps: first next

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Questions 6–10: Choose the best answer to each question.

6 Read the dictionary entry below.

cell (sel) noun 1 a small room in a jail 2 the smallest part of

a living being 3 an object that produces electric energy 4 a

small group of people who work together for a secret cause.

Which meaning of cell is used in this passage?

 definition 1

 definition 2

 definition 3

 definition 4

7 In this passage, the author compares the platelets, white blood

cells, and fibroblasts to—

Read the first paragraph again to find the answer

Test Tutor

says:

8 This chart shows some of the steps in healing a cut.

A cut opens in your skin.

Platelets rush to the cut.

A scab forms.

Collagen fills the cut.

Which sentence goes in the blank?

 White blood cells kill germs.

 Threads form in the blood.

 Platelets form a plug.

 A scar appears.

9 Read this sentence from the passage.

You can’t see the workers because they are microscopic, but

this is what they do.

In the word microscopic, the prefix micro- means—

 white blood cells

Use the diagram to help identify the steps

Look for clues in the sentence to help you find the meaning

Check each answer by looking for the words in the passage

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read this story about a boy named Justin Then

answer questions 11–16.

Shelter

Justin was a city kid He didn’t know much about nature

When he was little, his mom read him a book about a

boy who went camping with his dad The woods were dark

There were no people or streetlights or buildings It sounded

scary

One day when Justin was 8, he came home from school

He let himself into the apartment and almost tripped over

a muddy backpack

Then Justin heard a familiar laugh from the kitchen

Justin ran in to say hi to his Uncle Moses

“Justin!” said Uncle Moses, “I was just telling your mother

about my latest hike in the mountains You should come

camping with me.”

“No, thanks,” said Justin

“Hey, man, don’t be lazy!” said Uncle Moses “If you sit

around the apartment playing video games all day, you’ll

turn into a mushball.”

“He’s not lazy,” said Justin’s mother “He swims and plays

soccer He could keep up with you just fine!”

“Great,” said Uncle Moses “I’ll take him camping this

weekend.”

Justin sat there with his mouth open

His mother smiled “What do you think, Justin?”

“Okay,” Justin croaked

The next day at school, Justin asked his friend Manny if

he had ever gone camping

“Sure,” said Manny “It was great! We rented a camper

It had beds and a little kitchen and a TV We went to a big

campground where there was a lake and millions of kids

It had bathrooms and hot showers and everything.”

But when Uncle Moses picked up Justin on Saturday, he

was not in a camper and they did not drive to a campground

with showers and electricity They parked at the edge of a

forest and started hiking Uncle Moses knew a lot about the

Before you read the passage, take a quick look

at the questions so you know what to look for

How does Justin feel about camping?

Compare Justin’s ideas about camping with Uncle Moses’s ideas

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

woods He told Justin the names of trees, and he showed

him animal tracks It was kind of fun

After a while he said, “Well, I think this looks like a good

place to spend the night.”

To Justin, it looked like every other place they had been—

trees, rocks, dead leaves

“We’re nice and high up,” explained Uncle Moses “That

means if it starts to rain tonight, the water will drain past us

Also, that cliff will shelter us from the north wind.”

“Okay,” said Justin, “where’s the tent?”

“Oh, there’s no tent,” smiled Uncle Moses “I’m going to

show you how to build a shelter Once you know how to do

this, you never have to be afraid in the woods You’ll know

how to make yourself a safe, warm spot to spend the night,

no matter what!”

Justin almost told his uncle he would never be going into

the woods again, but he decided against it

“First, we find a nice, healthy tree,” said Uncle Moses

“What, some trees will give us diseases?” asked Justin

“No, but trees get old and sick, and then their branches

can fall off We don’t want a big branch to fall on our heads

in the middle of the night We also want to make sure we

don’t build our shelter on top of poisonous plants or an

insect nest, right?”

“Right!”

After they found a strong tree, they looked on the ground

for a big, fallen branch They stuck one end of the branch in

a fork of the tree The other end rested on the ground

“This is our ridgepole,” said Uncle Moses “Now we need

some big ribs.”

“Animal bones?” asked Justin

“No, more branches We’ll rest them against the

ridgepole to make the sides of our shelter We need long

ones for the high end, and short ones for the low end.”

As Justin looked for branches, the air got colder After

he and his uncle had placed all of the ribs, they covered the

frame with dead leaves, ferns, and grass Then they balanced

some more branches against the debris to keep the wind

from blowing it off

Look for signal words

to identify the steps in making a shelter

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

“Try it out while I make our campfire,” Uncle Moses said

to Justin So Justin crawled into the shelter Inside, it was

warm and cozy The dead leaves smelled good

A while later, Uncle Moses said, “Time for dinner, Justin.”

But he got no answer Justin was already sound asleep

Questions 11–16: Choose the best answer to each question.

11 Which is the best summary of this story?

 A boy’s uncle comes to the city for a visit.

 A boy from the city gets lost in the woods.

 An uncle takes his nephew camping and shows him how to

build a shelter.

 An uncle takes his nephew hiking in the forest and teaches

him all about trees.

12 What is the most important lesson Justin learns in this story?

 It is important to stay warm at night.

 Kids need to get exercise.

 You can learn a lot from books.

 New experiences can be fun.

13 Uncle Moses says, “Now we need some big ribs.” What does the

word rib mean in this sentence?

 a curved bone in a person’s chest

 a cut of meat

 a raised line in a piece of cloth

 a supporting part of a wall or building

Notice how Justin’s feelings about the shelter change

Think about what happens

in the whole story

Think of what Justin himself might say about the trip

In the passage, look for clues in the sentences before and after this sentence

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

14 What is the first thing Uncle Moses and Justin have to find to

make their shelter?

 a ridgepole

 lots of debris

 a healthy tree

 lots of small branches

15 When Uncle Moses first asks Justin to go camping, why does

Justin say, “No, thanks”?

 He does not know what camping is.

 He does not like Uncle Moses.

 He likes to sit quietly at home.

 He thinks the woods will be scary.

16 How does Justin probably feel when he crawls inside the

shelter at the end of the story?

Look at the last paragraph

to see what Justin does

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read this passage about a few women who

changed many lives Then answer questions 17–22.

Bloomers

In the 1850s, American women did not wear pants

They did not wear short skirts, either They wore dresses that touched the ground In those days, women’s dresses were very full as well as long They had to be full because women wore many layers underneath them

To get dressed, a woman first put on a corset A corset was a kind of underwear that was very stiff and tight, and it had laces Women pulled the laces tight to make their waists look small Wearing a tight

corset made breathing a little difficult for women, and they

could not move easily either

Over the corset, a woman wore at least four petticoats

Over the petticoats, she wore a dress The petticoats made

her skirt stick out

Women’s clothes were heavy They made climbing and

running difficult Even walking through a narrow doorway

was hard to do These heavy clothes were hot in the

summer, too

One young woman hated long dresses Her name

was Libby Miller When she got married, she and her

husband took a trip to Switzerland Libby wanted to

hike in the mountains She found a special hiking outfit

for sale It was a short dress over long, loose pants

Libby loved her new outfit She wore it back home in

America People could not believe their eyes! Many people

looked down on her for wearing such a strange outfit

Take a quick look at the questions before reading the passage

Look at the pictures to help you understand the text

What was wrong with the women’s clothes?

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

In 1851, Libby visited her cousin Elizabeth Stanton

Like Libby, Elizabeth was a strong woman She was also

independent She worked for women’s rights When she saw

Libby’s outfit, Elizabeth made one for herself She loved the

way she felt when she wore it She told her friend Amelia

Bloomer about it

Amelia Bloomer made the outfit famous Bloomer owned

a newspaper called The Lily It was a newspaper for women

Bloomer wrote that all women should get a good education

They should have the right to work They should have the

right to vote Bloomer also thought women should be able to

dress sensibly She put a picture of the pants for women in

her newspaper Women wrote in to learn how to make them

People across the country started calling them “bloomers.”

Many women agreed that bloomers were comfortable

Bloomers made walking, running, climbing stairs, and even

breathing easier However, there was a problem When a

woman wore bloomers in public, some people pointed at

her Others laughed Reporters made fun of bloomers Sadly,

bloomers became a joke By 1859, the fad was over Even

Amelia Bloomer stopped wearing them

Still, bloomers were important They showed women a

new way to dress They also helped some women become

more independent Today, women in America have the right

to dress the way they want

Where did this new outfit come from?

Think about how people reacted to bloomers

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Questions 17–22: Choose the best answer to each question.

17 What is the main idea of this passage?

 Amelia Bloomer made bloomers famous.

 Bloomers were invented in Switzerland.

 Bloomers made it easier for women to walk and run.

 Bloomers were an important fashion for women.

18 Why did women stop wearing bloomers?

 They were hot.

 Bloomers were difficult to make.

 They were tight.

 People laughed at them.

19 What can you tell about women’s clothes in the 1850s?

 They cost a lot.

 They were beautiful.

 They were uncomfortable.

 They were well-made

20 Which detail shows that Libby Miller and Elizabeth Stanton

were strong and independent?

 They both enjoyed hiking.

 They both wore unusual clothes.

 They both owned newspapers.

 They both traveled to other countries.

The main idea can appear in the first or last paragraph of an article

Look for the reason toward the end of the passage

Look for details that describe women’s clothes

Find something that both

of these women did

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

21 The author of this passage probably does NOT agree with—

 the reporters who made fun of bloomers.

 the people who made bloomers for women to wear when

hiking.

 the women who wrote in to The Lily to copy bloomers for

themselves.

 women today who think they can dress the way they want.

22 Read the sentence from the article.

Many people looked down on her for wearing such a

strange outfit.

What does this sentence mean?

 Many people could not see her outfit clearly.

 Many people looked at her outfit again and again.

 Many people closed their eyes when she walked past in

How did people feel about women who wore bloomers?

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read this passage about a family that starts a

day-care center Then answer questions 23–28.

A New Day-Care Center

The year Dinah turned 8, her mother opened a day-care

center in their house She said she was tired of driving an

hour to and from work each day and getting home so late

So she would start her own business at home

She explained to Dinah that they would have to keep

the house very neat They couldn’t leave small objects lying

around They would have to close cupboard doors tight and

put special covers on the electrical outlets Dinah didn’t

mind She liked the new arrangement

Every morning before Dinah got on the school bus,

parents dropped off their kids

Mrs Rashid always arrived first She would carry in

her baby, Rose, and Rose’s huge bag of stuff Then she and

Dinah’s mom would have a cup of coffee together They

talked about how Rose had slept the night before and what

she had eaten for breakfast and what her mood was like that

morning

Dinah couldn’t understand Rose always looked and

acted exactly the same! She was a baby! She couldn’t talk,

she couldn’t walk, and she wasn’t very interesting

Mr McKenna usually arrived next He jogged to their

house, pushing his son, Ethan, in a special stroller Mr

McKenna wore sweatpants and sneakers So did Ethan

Dinah thought this was silly Ethan wasn’t jogging; he

was sitting!

“Bye, Sport,” Mr McKenna said to Ethan every day, giving

him a high five

“Bye, Dad,” said Ethan, who was 3

Mrs Kim usually arrived last It took her a long time to get

from her car to Dinah’s house She had twins She had to get

both of them out of their car seats, get both of their bags, and

walk them to the house by holding tight to their hands

Mrs Kim always looked very tired, but the twins were

never tired! They were 2 years old and never stopped

Think about what has changed in Dinah’s life

How are these parents alike, and how are they different?

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

running, yelling, and getting into things Dinah felt sorry for

Mrs Kim She did not stay and have coffee with her mom

like Mrs Rashid did She did not tell what the twins had for

breakfast or how they had slept She just said, “Good luck!”

to Dinah’s mom and hurried out the door Dinah was glad

her mom didn’t have twins

Today was the first day of February vacation Last year,

Dinah and her mom went to Florida to visit her grandma

This year they would have to stay home Dinah was very

unhappy She wanted to see her grandmother and go to the

beach Instead, she had to stay home with a bunch of babies

On the first day of vacation, Dinah stayed up in her room

all morning She kept the door closed so the twins would not

get in and break her stuff

She came out of her room for lunch

Rose was eating applesauce in her high chair Ethan was

wearing a baseball cap and eating a hot dog

“This is just like the hot dogs you get at baseball,” he said

proudly

“Not really,” said Dinah “At a baseball game, they don’t

cut up your hot dog.”

Ethan looked sad, and Dinah’s mom made a face at her

“Actually, I forgot,” Dinah said “If you’re lucky, they will cut

it up!”

Dinah’s mom smiled at her effort

Philip and Douglas Kim were eating macaroni and

cheese so fast that Dinah got dizzy watching them As soon

as they finished, they asked, “Now can we run some more?”

They went into the family room and ran around in a

circle They laughed and laughed They thought it was

hilarious! Dinah was amazed When she was 2, had she

thought it was funny just to run in a circle? She tried to

remember Had she been proud to eat a cut-up hot dog and

wear a baseball cap? She couldn’t remember that either She

felt so old!

Just then Philip tripped over Douglas’s foot, and they

both began to cry

Why did Dinah stay in her room?

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

“Nap time!” called Mom “Dinah, can you keep an eye on

Rose while I put the boys in the guest room for their naps?

Don’t let her out of her chair I’ll be right back.”

Rose got very excited when Dinah sat down beside her

She gave a big smile Then she waved her spoon, and a glob

of applesauce hit Dinah’s shirt

“That’s okay,” Dinah told her, even though it really wasn’t

“Di-Di!” she cried

Dinah’s jaw dropped as she looked at Rose Then she

laughed and yelled, “Mom!” Her mother came running into

the kitchen with a terrible look on her face

“Rose just said my name!” Dinah exclaimed

“That’s impossible,” said her mother, collapsing into a

chair “She probably said ‘Dada.’ Her mother just told me

that she said ‘Dada’ for the first time last night.”

“Nope,” said Dinah “She definitely said Di-Di—for

Dinah.” She and Rose smiled at each other

Dinah couldn’t remember what it had felt like to learn how

to talk, but she bet it felt good Maybe this week wouldn’t be so

boring after all

Questions 23–28: Choose the best answer to each question.

23 Read these sentences from the story.

Dinah didn’t mind She liked the new arrangement.

This means that Dinah liked the new—

 house.

 job.

 plan.

 day.

24 Why does Dinah’s mother decide to open a day-care center?

 She wants to work at home.

 She wants to take more vacations.

 She wants Dinah to help her.

 She wants to meet other mothers.

What happened to make Dinah feel better?

Read the second paragraph again to find the answer

Go back to the first paragraph

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

25 How is Mrs Kim different from Mrs Rashid?

 Mrs Kim likes to talk more.

 Mrs Kim is more tired all the time.

 Mrs Kim is in less of a hurry.

 Mrs Kim has a harder time saying good-bye.

26 What is Dinah’s biggest problem in this story?

 She has to keep the house very neat.

 Parents drop off their children before she goes to school.

 She does not understand why some parents act the way

they do.

 She has to stay home with the babies instead of going

to Florida.

27 Which event changes Dinah’s mood and solves her problem?

 Ethan talks to her about his lunch.

 The twins start running in circles and laughing.

 Mom asks Dinah to keep an eye on Rose for a minute.

 Rose says Dinah’s name.

28 What will most likely happen next?

 Dinah will have fun helping with the kids for the rest of

her vacation.

 Dinah will remember what it felt like to be a baby.

 Dinah will ask her mother if she can visit her grandmother

Look at the ending of the story

Read the last paragraph

to make a prediction

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read this passage about jellyfish Then answer

questions 29–35.

Meet the Jelly

Question: When is a fish not really a fish?

Answer: When it’s a jellyfish.

A jellyfish, or jelly, is a soft blob that floats in the ocean

True fish have vertebrae Jellyfish do not have these backbones

In fact, they don’t have any bones at all

True fish also have brains, eyes, ears, and hearts Jellyfish

do not

However, jellyfish do well without these body parts

Jellyfish live in every ocean in the world There are hundreds

of kinds of jellies The number of jellyfish keeps increasing

The Parts of a Jellyfish

A jellyfish has two main parts,

a bell and tentacles The bell is

a round, soft sack of jelly The

tentacles are streamers that come

down from the bell

The bell contains a stomach

pouch, a mouth, and a lappet The

lappet provides a sense of touch It

also has spots that can sense light

The tentacles often contain poison

Some jellies are only 1 inch

long Others can be 200 feet long—

yuck!

The Life of a Jellyfish

Jellyfish drift slowly through water Unlike fish, they do

not have fins or tails to help them swim Instead, they open

and close their bodies, squeezing water in and out When

they push water out, they move upward

Think about why the author begins the passage with this question

Use the headings in

bold type to help you

understand the text

How does this diagram help you?

bell

lappet tentacles

stomach pouch

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Jellyfish can sense light and smell They can find small

fish and tiny plants to eat They catch food with their

tentacles

Jellyfish do not have lungs or gills But they still need

oxygen to live Their skin is so thin that oxygen can pass

through it and enter their bodies If you ever see a jellyfish,

look at it carefully Its skin is transparent You can see its

stomach and other organs through the skin

A jellyfish can live from 2 months to 30 years

Watch Out for That Jelly!

All animals must defend themselves against danger

Some creatures defend themselves by running, flying, or

swimming fast Jellyfish move slowly Other animals defend

themselves with teeth and claws Jellies don’t have either

of these

Still, jellyfish have a powerful weapon Their tentacles

are covered with stingers The stingers hold poison When

a jellyfish touches an animal or person, it releases the

poison Some jellyfish stings hurt a little Some hurt a lot

Some can kill

If you go swimming in the ocean, watch out for jellyfish

Get out of the water if you see them If you see a jelly on the

sand, don’t pick it up If you get stung, pour vinegar on the

sting If you feel sick, call a lifeguard or a doctor

More Jellies Than Ever

Sometimes, hundreds of jellies appear at once These

large groups are called “swarms” or “blooms.” Sometimes

they are called “outbreaks.” Recently, a “blanket” of jellyfish

covered one end of the Gulf of Mexico

Why are there more jellyfish now than in the past? There

are two possible reasons

First, adult fish and jellyfish eat much of the same food

In some places, too many adult fish have been caught by

humans This leaves more food for the jellyfish

Second, farmers use fertilizer on their fields When it

rains, some fertilizer gets washed into rivers It flows into the

oceans There, it grows more plants and lowers the oxygen

in the water Jellyfish can live on less oxygen than fish

Look for reasons to explain the growing numbers of jellyfish

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

A Tasty Snack?

In some countries, such as China and Japan, people eat

jellyfish First, the jellyfish are salted and squeezed The dry,

salted jellies can be stored When it is time to eat them, the

jellyfish are soaked in water overnight This gets rid of the

salt Then the jellyfish are cooked or eaten raw They are

often served with oil and vinegar or soy sauce

Maybe you will snack on jellyfish someday!

Questions 29–35: Choose the best answer to each question.

29 The passage says, “True fish have vertebrae.” What does the

word vertebrae mean?

 scales

 stomachs

 hearts

 backbones

30 Which question is answered in the first part of the passage?

 What do jellyfish eat?

 How big is a jellyfish?

 What should you do if you are stung by a jellyfish?

 How are jellyfish different from fish?

31 The passage says that the skin of the jellyfish is transparent

What does this mean?

 You can see through the skin.

 The skin is colorful.

 You can get stung by the skin.

 The jellyfish has two kinds of skin.

Look for clues in the sentences before and after the word to see what

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

32 What is the best summary of the ideas in the part called Watch

Out for That Jelly!?

 All animals must defend themselves against danger,

including jellyfish.

 If you go swimming in the sea, you should watch out for

dangerous animals.

 Jellyfish defend themselves with poison, so stay away from

them and get help if you are stung.

 Jellyfish do not have a way to defend themselves because

they do not have teeth or claws.

33 How are jellyfish different from fish?

 Jellyfish need less food to live.

 Jellyfish do not have mouths.

 Jellyfish need less oxygen to live.

 Jellyfish and fish eat very different food.

34 Which sentence best shows how the author feels about

jellyfish?

 A jellyfish, or jelly, is a soft blob that floats in the ocean.

 Others can be 200 feet long—yuck!

 Their tentacles are covered with stingers.

 They are often served with oil and vinegar or soy sauce

35 Which detail supports the idea that the number of jellyfish

is increasing?

 There are hundreds of kinds of jellies.

 A jellyfish can live from 2 months to 30 years.

 Recently, a “ blanket” of jellyfish covered one end of the

Reread the two sections in the passage that compare fish and jellyfish

Look for a word or phrase that expresses a feeling

Find the part of the passage that tells about

“more jellies.”

STOPEnd of Test 1

Name

Test 1

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read this passage about two boys on a vacation

Then answer questions 1–5.

The Garden

By the second day of spring vacation, Colby and

Logan were at loose ends Their grandmother was in the

house baking pies for a local store and couldn’t take them

anywhere They had ridden their bikes, played

hide-and-seek, and built a fort in the woods Now they were bored

Logan suggested they visit their grandmother’s new

neighbor, Mrs Wilson, because she had a puppy Their

grandmother said, “Now don’t bother her Be respectful

and don’t be pests.”

When the boys got to the house, Mrs Wilson was working

outside in the yard The dog bounded up to them, and the

boys introduced themselves

“Can we play with your dog?” the boys asked

“Sure,” said the woman with a smile

The boys chased the dog around the yard Then the dog

chased the boys around and around Finally, the boys were

tired, but the puppy was not!

“Do you boys want some lemonade?” Mrs Wilson asked

Logan and Colby nodded They thought this new neighbor

was really nice

Mrs Wilson brought out two frosty glasses of pink

lemonade Then she began digging up something black that

was in a large bin surrounded by wire She piled up the dark

soil and put it in a wheelbarrow

“What are you doing?” Logan asked

“I’m adding compost to the garden,” she said “Compost

makes the soil rich It helps the soil hold water and helps the

plants grow.”

“What is compost?” Colby asked

“Compost is made from things like straw, leaves, eggshells,

grass clippings, and kitchen scraps, like peels from fruits and

vegetables I mix it with some soil After everything rots, it

turns into this nice, rich compost.”

“Can we help you with the compost?” Logan asked

Take a quick look at the questions before reading the passage

Think about what the characters say and do throughout the story

Test Tutor

says:

The woman smiled broadly and said, “I’d love that.”

So the two boys and the woman spread compost over the

garden and flower beds

Over the next two days, the two boys visited Mrs Wilson

two more times They helped her plant seeds They planted

peas, spinach, carrots, and radishes She had grown some

tiny plants inside They planted the seedlings in the warm

soil so they could grow larger

When spring vacation ended, the boys went home to

their parents They also went back to school Then, when

summer returned, they went back to their grandmother’s

house for a week The first thing they did was visit Mrs

Wilson

What a pleasant surprise! The garden was full of green

plants Squash was spreading all over the garden beds, and

carrots were growing under the soil Still, there was more

work to do Weeds had to be pulled, and vegetables had to

be picked Logan and Colby went back to work

One day Colby said, “I think I want to be a gardener

when I grow up.”

“Me too,” Logan said “Gardening is fun.”

Mrs Wilson handed Logan a bag of peas and squash to

take home She said, “You don’t have to wait that long You

are already gardeners!”

Questions 1–5: Choose the best answer to each question.

1 Why did Colby and Logan think Mrs Wilson was nice?

 She let them help her with the compost and the garden.

 She brought them lemonade when they were tired and

thirsty.

 She let them ride their bikes in her driveway.

 She played hide-and-seek and other games with them.

Look for signal words that tell when events happen

Think about what Mrs Wilson did

Name

Test 2

Test Tutor

says:

2 What happened on the second and third days the boys visited

Mrs Wilson?

 They helped her spread the compost.

 Mrs Wilson gave them vegetables to take home.

 The boys played with the dog until they got tired.

 They helped her plant things in the garden.

3 Mrs Wilson added compost to the garden What is compost?

 things that have rotted

 small plants

 weeds that grow in gardens

 a mix of water and seeds

4 Which sentence best describes this kind of passage?

 It has animal characters that talk.

 It gives facts about gardening.

 It takes place in a different kind of world.

 It tells a story about people who could be real.

5 Which words best describe Colby and Logan?

 loud and annoying

 bothersome and busy

 helpful and polite

 grumpy and bored

Go back to the passage

to find the answer

Look for clues in the sentences before and after this word

Think about the story as

a whole

Imagine these boys as real people What are they like?

Name

Test 2

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read this passage about bones Then answer

questions 6–10.

What’s the Most Important Bone?

The human body needs its bones

We need them to play soccer, to chew an apple, and to grab a pencil An adult human body has quite a few bones—206 to be exact!

Which bone do you think is the most important?

The Spine

Your spine is made up of 26

smaller bones These bones help you twist and bend They hold your body up so you can stand, sit, and walk At the bottom of your spine is

the coccyx This is a very important

bone It gives you power to pick

up something heavy It helps you balance so you can run, dance, skip, and walk Surely the bones in the spine are the most important!

The Ribs

Life without ribs would be difficult The ribs surround the

heart and lungs and other important parts of your insides

Most people have 12 pairs of ribs The sternum holds the ribs

in place That’s an important bone!

The Skull

Everyone needs a brain, right? Without a brain, it would

be impossible to think or speak Your brain also controls

your breathing and how your body breaks down food you

eat The skull protects the brain to keep it healthy The skull

also contains your jawbone You need a jawbone to chew

your food and open your mouth to drink

Use the bold headings

to help you understand the text

Notice that the names of bones are in italic type

Human Skeleton

skull

spine coccyx

Test Tutor

says:

The Hand Bones

The bones in your hand help you pick up objects, write

your name, throw a ball, and hold a cell phone If you

play sports, you need your hands If you want to type on a

computer, hands are very important, too Your hands have 54

bones, and all of them work together

The Leg and Foot Bones

Your leg bones hold up your body These bones make it

possible for you to run, stand, kick, and bend The longest

bone in your body is the femur It is the leg bone above your

knee There are 52 bones in your ankles and feet These

bones are very important for standing and walking Feet and

toes make it possible for you to balance and stand upright

That’s important!

You might argue that one bone or another is the most

important But all of the bones have their purposes, and

they’re all important We need all of them to enjoy a healthy,

happy life

Questions 6–10: Choose the best answer to each question.

6 What is the main idea of this passage?

 The spine is the most important bone in the human body.

 In the human body, the ribs protect the heart and lungs.

 All of the bones in the human body serve important

purposes.

 An adult human has 206 bones in his or her body.

7 Look at the diagram What two bones make up the leg below

the knee?

 spine and sternum

 ribs and skull

 femur and coccyx

 fibula and tibia

How are these bones alike, and how are they different?

In most passages, the first and last paragraphs tell the main idea

Use the diagram to answer this question

Name

Test 2

Test Tutor

says:

8 Read this sentence.

Without a brain, it would be impossible to think or speak.

The word impossible means—

 “not possible.”

 “possible again.”

 “very possible.”

 “possible before.”

9 How are the skull and rib bones alike?

 They make it possible for the body to stand.

 They are both part of the spine.

 They both protect important parts of the body.

 They are both above the shoulders.

10 Which paragraph tells about bones in your head?

 The Spine

 The Skull

 The Ribs

 The Hand Bones

Look at the parts of the word to figure out what

it means

Look back at these parts

of the passage to find the answers you need

Name

Test 2

Test Tutor

says:

Directions: Read the passage about a fox and a hen Then

answer questions 11–16.

Fox and Big Red Hen

Every day, Fox promised his mother that he would catch

Big Red Hen for dinner that night However, Big Red Hen was

clever, and every day she found a way to avoid being caught

Big Red Hen was also very careful When she left to go to

market, she locked her front door When she came home, she

locked herself inside She put her key in her apron pocket

where she kept her scissors and thread

One day, Fox had a plan It was cold that day, so Fox knew

Hen would have to gather firewood from the woodpile Sure

enough, before breakfast Big Red Hen ran to the woodpile

and gathered up some sticks When she wasn’t looking, Fox

ran inside her house

When Hen came back inside, she reached inside her

pocket to retrieve the key to lock the door To her surprise,

Fox stood over her with a huge grin on his face She dropped

the key, and he grabbed her and put her inside a large burlap

sack

Hen was very plump and fat After carrying her for a long

way, Fox had to sit down to rest Soon he fell asleep and

snored loudly enough to alert Big Red Hen She pulled her

scissors out of her pocket and cut a hole in the bag while Fox

was sleeping Then she placed two large rocks inside the bag

Who are the characters

in this story?

Every story has a problem

or conflict that must be solved What happens in this story?

Name

Test 2

Test Tutor

says:

and sewed it back up When she finished, she ran back

home and locked her door

When Fox woke up, he felt very happy He checked the

bag and threw it over his shoulder The rocks weighed the

same as the hen, so he did not notice the difference Fifteen

minutes later, he was back home

Outside the door, he yelled to his mother “I’m home! I

hope you have the water boiling!”

Fox’s mother threw open the door She said, “You have

Big Red Hen today?”

Fox proudly held out the bag He said, “Yes, I do, dear

Mother!”

Fox’s mother took the lid off the large pot of boiling

water, and the steam rose up to the ceiling Fox opened the

bag and threw the contents inside the pot The rocks fell into

the pot and splashed water all over the kitchen

Fox’s mother leaped out of the way Then she barked,

“What a fine soup we’ll have today, made from nothing but

rocks and water!”

Fox was embarrassed He said, “I am very sorry, Mother

I don’t know what happened Big Red Hen is very clever,

and I was once again outfoxed Now, it’s back to square one

Surely, tomorrow we will fill that pot with a big, juicy hen.”

Questions 11–16: Choose the best answer to each question.

11 What is the main problem in this story?

 Hen needs wood from the woodpile.

 Hen has to lock her door all the time.

 Fox wants to catch Hen so he can eat her.

 The rocks splash water all over the kitchen.

12 Which words best describe Big Red Hen?

 foxy and silly

 sly and shy

 smart and proud

 clever and careful

You can learn about the characters from what they say and how they look

Read the beginning of the story again

Think about how Big Red Hen acts

Name

Test 2

Test Tutor

says:

13 Fox says, “Now, it’s back to square one.” What does Fox mean

by this?

 I’ll try again from the beginning.

 I planned things carefully but they didn’t work.

 Now I must go to a house on the town square.


Hen lives in a small house that is square.

14 Why does Fox stop to rest?

 Hen is so heavy that he gets tired from carrying her.

 He did not sleep the night before.

 Hen’s house is very far away.

 Fox hurt his back catching Hen, so he has to rest it.

15 What happens just before Hen cuts her way out of the bag?

 She puts rocks in the bag and sews it up.

 Fox sits down to take a rest and falls asleep.

 Fox calls out to his mother to boil water.

 Fox sneaks into Hen’s house to catch her.

16 The author wrote this passage mainly to—

 persuade people to cook hens.

 entertain the reader.

 give information about animals.

 teach an important lesson.

Think about what makes Fox say this

Go back to the passage

to find the answer

Look for signal words that tell when events happen

Think about how you felt

as you read the story

Name

Test 2

Test Tutor

Spiders, insects, and other bugs are usually quite small

Many are tiny Some may be an inch or two long For years,

scientists have suspected that creatures like these were

once very large For example, they have found fossils of

huge cockroaches, which are bugs with six legs that are still

around today They have found remains of large dragonflies

that once flew across the sky Now they know much more

They know that one kind of bug was a giant

A few years ago, scientists found the remains of a claw

in Germany The scientists took the fossil back to the lab

The claw was found in a place that was once a swamp They

figured out that the claw belonged to a sea scorpion Then

they put it together in the shape of the body They were

amazed at its size

How big was it? It was really big The claw was a foot

and a half long That would make the bug 8 feet long! That

is the size of a small car It’s bigger than the tallest of men

Scientists were very excited They had found the fossil of the

largest bug ever known

Imagine a bug that large walking across your lawn—or across your kitchen floor! Imagine watching the bug sip water from a mud puddle! That would be a scary sight

Humans were never in danger from this bug The sea scorpion lived 400 million years ago Fish lived on Earth then, but dinosaurs did not The sea scorpion lived about 150 million years before the dinosaurs

Take a quick look at the questions before you begin reading

Look for details that tell when, where, and what

Name

Test 2